Things Aren't Always as They Seem
by ChickWithThePurpleGuitar
Summary: Everyone knows what the Stoll Brothers are like at Camp. But they're different things to different people. To some people, they're useful. To others, they're a mystery. To a few select children of Hades, they're lifesavers. But to the customers of Anna's Bakery in Long Island, New York, they're just the nice boys behind the counter who serve them baked goods with a side of laughs.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Eyyy, I told you I'd write a Stoll Brothers fic! Well, here it is, my first of many. I got quite a few prompts for Traitie, and at least one asking for Connor shipped with someone, and I'd already had the idea for this, so I finally decided to sit down and write it.**

**Basically, this is a fic depicting the differences between the Stoll Brothers at Camp and the Stoll Brothers in the mortal world (because, contrary to popular belief, they do actually have lives). It includes my OC Kat, who's the Stolls' next-door neighbor, as well as my headcanon that Travis and Connor were raised Jewish before their mom knew Hermes was a god, and once she found out, she explained it as "God made the gods." So yeah. Jewish Stolls.**

**Hope you guys like this. This is just a prologue, but I'm almost done with the first chapter, so I should update soon. Let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for what I own.**

**Please review!**

**BTW, WARNING: I REALIZE I MADE CHIRON KIND OF A JERK IN THIS CHAPTER. THAT WAS NOT ON PURPOSE, AND IF IT OFFENDS YOU, PLEASE TREAD LIGHTLY.**

Prologue

When the end of summer arrived, Chiron had one job- find out which campers were going and which were staying, and make sure they went and stayed there.

Theoretically, it was an easy task. The campers all received a notice, telling them to get their things out by noon or else stay year-round (there was, of course, a third option- let the Harpies eat everything- but it hardly ever got down to that). Theoretically, all Chiron had to do was let the summer-only kids do their thing, and then count whoever was left. _Theoretically_, it was the easiest part of the job as Camp Half-Blood's activities director.

But there was always someone who had to make it difficult.

There were the "thoughtful" campers, who waited till the last minute to make their decision, as if there was even a decision to make (like Percy Jackson). There were the "optimistic" ones, who kept switching back and forth between whether they were going to visit their trigger-happy stepfamily for the semester or stay at camp and sulk about having not visited that trigger-happy stepfamily (like Annabeth Chase).

And then there were the Stoll Brothers, who- every year, without fail- came to Chiron, mere minutes before the "We Are Not Kidding, the Harpies Will Eat You" Deadline, with the _same pathetic excuse._

"We just need one more day," Travis Stoll repeated, glaring across the table at his mentor. "Our mom gets back from Germany tomorrow; _then_ we'll leave."

Chiron sighed, rubbing his temples. They'd been at this for an hour. All the other summer campers were gone. By all rights, the Harpies should've been eating the Stolls' belongings by now- and they probably would've been, had Chiron not been feeling particularly generous that day. Why was this simple concept so difficult for the boys to understand?

"We can be out of your hair by noon tomorrow," Connor promised. "We just can't leave today because, well..." He glanced at his brother. "We've got nowhere to go."

Chiron raised an eyebrow. _Now_ they were getting somewhere. "You don't have to worry about transportation," he reminded the brothers. "Argus can take you into the city, or into Long Island."

Travis rolled his eyes. "No, you don't get it. We _physically_ have nowhere to go. Even if we caught a ride home, we wouldn't be able to get into our house."

"We don't have keys," Connor explained at Chiron's frown of confusion. "Our mom doesn't trust us with shiny things."

Chiron nodded slowly. "Smart woman, your mother." He rolled his wheelchair away from the table and started towards the door. "Well, boys, you know the rules. Either you leave today, or you stay year-round. I'm sorry, but that's how it has to be." He opened the door and gestured for them to leave. "You'll figure something out- you always do."

And for Chiron, that was the end of it. Travis and Connor would catch a ride home- every year, without fail- and disappear for three months, before returning to Camp for winter break, unscathed and with no hard feelings. That was all Chiron knew and that was all that mattered.

What Chiron didn't know was what occurred every year, without fail, as soon as the Stoll Brothers reached their hometown. What he didn't know was that they slipped into an alley by their house, and Travis drew his sword while Connor placed a call.

"Hey, Kat, it's Connor Stoll. Think you can do me a favor?"

**A/N: So there's that. Sorry it's short, but it's just the prologue. First chapter should be coming soon. Hope you liked it, and please review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello all! Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed my prologue. I'm so glad you all liked it, because I'm really excited about this fic. Here's the official first chapter, I really hope you all like it :D Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO. I do own Anna and Kat.**

**Btw, this chapter might get a little (read: extremely) confusing, but hopefully it won't be too hard to understand. Just so you know, the timeline here is really messed up, but there's one scene that specifically takes place during Titan's Curse, and another that takes place after Blood of Olympus (to reiterate: BOO SPOILERS IN THIS CHAPTER). Also I am not even remotely Jewish, so if I get anything insultingly wrong, please let me know. Other than that, I think I'm good. So, I hope you all like this, and please review!**

**Sorry, one more thing. PLEASE READ THIS TO AVOID CONFUSION. I just wanted to remind you guys that it is canon that the Stoll Brothers are not twins, contrary to popular belief. Travis is actually older. Just wanted to make a note of that. Okay, now go R&R :D**

* * *

><p>Chapter One<p>

Everyone knew what the Stoll Brothers were like at Camp.

* * *

><p>"TRAVIS STOLL, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"<p>

Connor laughed excitedly as he pulled his brother away from the Demeter Cabin, keeping him from turning around and looking back at their latest project.

"I gotta give you props, brother," Connor said, gasping for breath as he and Travis slipped inside the Camp Store. "That was pretty risky, leaving a calling card."

Travis shrugged, laughing as he tried to catch his breath. "What can I say? It was one of my best projects, I had to take credit for it."

"Well, maybe you should let _me_ sign the prank next time," Connor suggested. "Katie threatens you too much."

"Katie doesn't threaten you _enough_," Travis corrected.

"She seems to think you're the brains of the operation," Connor pointed out. "Don't know where she got that idea from."

Travis shoved his brother playfully, which sent Connor slamming into the door.

It was proof enough of how screwed up their life was that Katie was waiting outside, but if the jiggling of the doorknob was anything to go by, the daughter of Demeter had been alerted of their presence. Not to mention the fact that she was screaming at them through the door.

"YOU TWO GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW SO I CAN RIP YOUR THROATS OUT!"

Connor looked up at his brother, eyes wide. "Back door."

Travis nodded. "Run."

* * *

><p>But they were different things to different people.<p>

* * *

><p>Technology and pranks went well together, so the Stoll Brothers had friends in the Hephaestus Cabin.<p>

Demigod-safe cellphones were one of their greatest, if not most temperamental, accomplishments.

"Okay, this is still a prototype, so we'll only have a few minutes," Connor explained as he dialed the number. "But Jake says the connection should be fine."

Travis nodded excitedly and pulled his brother onto the bed next to him. "Yeah, all right, will you just call her?"

Connor pressed the call button and put the phone on speaker so that they could both hear it ring.

Less than a minute later, she picked up. "Hello?"

The brothers grinned. "Hi, Mom!"

"Connor? Travis? Is that you?" Anna Stoll asked, sounding like she was holding back tears. "My boys, I thought you weren't allowed to call!"

The brothers grinned at each other. "We found a way," Travis explained. "Some friends of ours hooked us up."

"Well, I'm just so glad to hear your voices," their mother replied. "How's camp? Are my babies doing okay?"

"We're fine, Mom," Connor assured her, trying not to laugh. "We miss you."

"Oh, honey, I miss you too."

"Listen, Mom, we've only got a couple minutes," Travis cut in, "but we wanted to ask you something."

"What is it, sweetie?"

The brothers exchanged glances, silently arguing over who would ask the question. Eventually, Connor broke eye contact and turned his attention to the phone. "Mom, do you think you can come home for a few days next month? Travis and I think we can get out of Camp early, make it home for Hanukkah."

For a minute or so, there was silence on the other end.

"Mom?" Travis asked.

"Boys, I don't think I'll be able to make it," Anna said, sounding beyond regretful. "Things are really heating up out here, they're gonna need me til the end of the year, at least."

Connor dropped the phone onto the bed and ran his hands through his hair.

"We understand, Mom," Travis said, trying not to sound too disappointed. "We're rooting for you."

"I'm so sorry, sweetie," Anna whispered. "I'll make it up to you both, I promise. I'll send presents, okay? And I'll see you at the end of the summer."

Connor nodded. "Okay, Mom."

"Hey, why don't you two ask Kat if you can spend the holidays with her?" she suggested. "I'm sure she'd love that."

Travis and Connor exchanged glances again, suddenly smirking. The last time they'd tried to spend a Jewish holiday with Kat's extremely Catholic family, it hadn't ended well. They weren't eager to go through that again.

"Uh, we'll ask, Mom," Travis promised. "I'm sure we can-"

Without warning, the cell phone suddenly sparked, static starting to sound through its speaker.

Eyes wide, Connor grabbed the device and held it out in front of him. "Mom, we got to go," he called, hoping she could hear him. "We'll talk to you later, okay?"

"We lo-"

With a legit "snap, crackle, pop," the phone exploded in Connor's hands, sending debris flying around the cabin.

The silence that followed was deafening.

After a few minutes, Connor let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and put his head in his hands. Travis flopped backward onto the bed next to him with a sigh.

"Back to the drawing board."

* * *

><p>To some people, they were useful.<p>

* * *

><p>It was very rare that gods contacted demigods, but for every rule there was an exception, and for every godly rule, that exception was Percy Jackson.<p>

Theoretically, Travis and Connor should have been offended that they were mere mediums between the gods and a son of Poseidon, but they were too amazed at being able to help the gods at all to really care.

Besides, pranking was their specialty. Pranking authorized by the _goddess of love- _practically a dream come true.

The day before Camp Half-Blood's latest quest was supposed to begin, Travis and Connor skipped lunch and slipped into the forest, hiding out by the creek (a more-or-less abandoned area ever since the oracle zombie-walked there, so they knew they'd be left alone), and sent a prayer to the goddess of rainbows.

"Hey, Kat," the brothers chorused as soon as the Iris message connected.

A surprised yelp sounded from the other end, followed by a loud thump. As the Stoll Brothers tried not to laugh, Kat's head appeared in the mist, her curly brown hair hanging in her face as she glared at them with icy blue eyes.

"One of these days, I'll get used to your creepy stalker demigod communication methods," she promised, brushing her hair out of her face and leaning back against the bed so that they could see her better. "Today, however, is not that day."

Travis and Connor grinned at their friend. "So how's life?" Travis then asked. "You miss us?"

Kat rolled her eyes. "Oh, of _course_. Sometimes, it's practically _unbearable_." She gave them an overly sarcastic look. "Honestly, though, the Bakery's just so quiet without you guys, especially with your mom gone. And Mrs. Kelvin from down the street keeps asking me to make, like, yogurt meatpies, or something, which is just- 500% not kosher."

"We have taught you well," Connor teased, smirking at her.

Kat rolled her eyes. "_Anyway_, I'm actually kind of excited for school to come back, so I can spend some more time with you doofuses."

"I choose to take that as a compliment," Travis decided, and he started to say more, but a sudden bright light appeared right behind the mist, cutting him off.

Travis and Connor exchanged nervous glances, then simultaneously stood to meet the godly light.

Kat frowned. "Travis? Connor? What's going on?"

Before either Stoll could respond, the light solidified, and their jaws both dropped as they found themselves staring at the most beautiful woman either of them had ever seen.

"Uh, Kat, we're gonna have to call you back," Connor managed as his brother waved a hand through the mist.

Aphrodite smirked at them and held up a t-shirt. "Hello, boys. I have a quest for you."

* * *

><p>To others, they were a mystery.<p>

* * *

><p>"Hey, Connor, we got a letter from Mom," Travis announced as he entered the infirmary, pulling back the curtain that hid his brother's hospital bed and ripping open the envelope in his hand.<p>

Connor sat up a bit straighter, eyes wide in excitement. "Yeah? What's she say?"

"Calm down, I haven't read it yet," Travis said, rolling his eyes. "I was waiting till you regained consciousness."

"Well, I'm awake _now_," Connor pointed out. "What's she say?"

Travis smirked pitifully at his younger brother, who was starting to look pretty pathetic, all pale and bleary-eyed, a bandage wrapped around his head, grinning like a 4-year-old at Christmas (or so Travis assumed; he didn't celebrate Christmas). Then, he unfolded the letter and sat down on the bed, next to his brother, to read.

"My dear boys," he read aloud. "I made a deal with your activities director- such a nice man, by the way- so that you and I can exchange letters back and forth while I'm away. Once I get back to Long Island, it should be easy for you two to come home on weekends if you get the chance, and then once summer ends, we'll all be together again. Speaking of which, France is nice, though not as cozy as our little bakery, of course. I won't bore you with the details, but I'll make sure to bring plenty of French pastries when I come home. Love you both. Try to write back if you can; your director will get the letter to me. Hope to hear from you soon. Love, Mom."

Travis folded up the letter and slipped it back into its envelope, while Connor leaned back in his bed, smiling sadly. "I miss Mom."

Travis nodded in agreement. Usually, their mom was only out of the country for the summer, but her most recent job in France had needed her year-round, so it had been over a year since they'd seen her.

"Wanna write her back now?" Travis asked, pulling a piece of paper and a pen out of his back pocket.

Connor grinned excitedly. "Yeah, sure! I want to tell her about the chariot race, which we _almost_ won, and then we can-"

Suddenly, and without warning, the curtain surrounding the bed pulled back with a swish. The brothers both looked up, eyebrows raised in surprise, and were slightly confused to see Annabeth Chase, grey eyes stormy with murderous intent.

"Travis Stoll, did you spray paint the Ares Cabin _pink_?" she demanded.

Connor frowned at his brother. "Did you?"

"Only half of it," Travis admitted.

Connor grinned and high-fived his older brother, while Annabeth stared at them in horror. "Do you have a _death wish?_" she asked.

Travis shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, Clarisse hit my brother in the head with a chariot. I had to retaliate _somehow_."

"So you decided to spray paint her cabin pink?"

"Only half of it," Travis repeated.

Annabeth sighed. "Travis, she's going to _murder_ you."

Travis frowned, as if he'd only just then realized that. "Question. Does Clarisse _know_ that I was the one who spray painted her cabin pink?"

"Only half of it," Connor corrected.

Travis pointed at him. "Yes. Exactly, thank you." Then the turned back to Annabeth and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

The daughter of Athena rolled her eyes. "Well, no, not yet. But it's fairly _obvious_, considering you signed it."

Travis's face fell. "Oh."

Connor groaned. "Dude, you have _got_ to stop leaving calling cards."

"It's practically a force of habit by now!" Travis looked pleadingly at Annabeth. "Hey, Annabeth, you wanna go get the spray paint from my cabin and cover up that signature?"

Annabeth raised a challenging eyebrow. "You wanna promise never to prank the Ares Cabin again?"

Both brothers grinned at her and chorused, "If it'll make you happy."

Annabeth glanced thoughtfully at Travis, then Connor, then Travis again. Then, she sighed and turned to leave. "I will never understand you two."

Once she was gone, Connor asked, "So I propose we _don't_ tell Mom that a girl gave me a concussion?"

Travis nodded in agreement. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

* * *

><p>To a few select children of Hades, they were lifesavers.<p>

* * *

><p>Travis and Connor Stoll, being demigods, were more than familiar with the subject of nightmares. But never in their fairly short lives had either of them seen someone more plagued by nightmares than Nico di Angelo.<p>

It was almost midngiht, judging by the little alarm clock next to Connor's bed, when he was gently awoken by a hand on his arm and his brother's voice, quietly saying his name.

"What is it?" Connor murmured sleepily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

Travis held up the walkie-talkie-like device he'd acquired fromm the Hephaestus Cabin a few years back and waved it in front of Connor's face, showing him the blinking lights that ran along the side. "Trouble in paradise."

Connor sighed, but got out of bed and quickly pulled some clothes on, following his brother outside.

"It's been a while," Connor commented as they crossed the short distance to Cabin 13.

Travis shrugged. "Well, he hasn't exactly been around much..."

"True," Connor agreed. "Although this sure was easier when he was in the same cabin as us. A lot less moving."

Travis chuckled and ruffled his brother's hair before reaching out to push open the door of the Hades Cabin.

Lucky for them, Nico was already awake.

"Travis? Connor?" he questioned softly. "What are you guys doing here?"

Nico was sitting on his bed (which no longer looked like a casket, thanks to Annabeth's redecorating skills), leaning against the headboard, his blankets and sheets tangled on the floor. He was fully dressed, in tight black jeans and a Grateful Dead t-shirt, his aviator's jacket covering his knees like a blanket as he drew them close to his chest. He looked even paler than usual, his eyes bloodshot, and though he seemed calm as he frowned at the Stolls in genuine curiosity, Connor hadn't failed to notice the way the shadows were shaking.

Travis held up the walkie-talkie again and waved it teasingly. Nico sighed, his shoulders slumping, the shadows relaxing as he slid down onto his pillow and straightened his legs so that he was staring at the celiing.

"If you're here to give me a therapy session, I'm not in the mood."

Travis and Connor both rolled their eyes, grabbing desk chairs from Hazel's unoccupied half of the cabin, and pulling them up next to Nico's bed.

The son of Hades glared at them. "I'm not kidding. Go away."

"Were you dreaming about Tartarus?" Travis asked without preamble, and Nico visibly flinched, then turned away from them and pulled his jacket over his head.

"It's none of your business," he grumbled.

Connor smirked and exchanged an amused glance with his brother. "None of our business?" he repeated, making Nico immediately groan. "Travis, young Mr. di Angelo seems to think that his nightmares are none of our business."

"I hate you both," Nico muttered.

"It seems to me, Connor," Travis continued teasingly, ignoring the son of Hades. "That Mr. di Angelo has forgotten The Tale of the Demonic Daydream."

"If you wanna help, get me my sword so I can stab you."

Connor gasped dramatically, again paying no attention to Nico. "Not the Tale of the Demonic Daydream! How dare he!"

"Kill me now."

"You know what, Connor?" Travis decided, getting to his feet. "I think young Nico here needs a storytime."

He sat down on the bed, making Nico yelp and sit up, staring in shock at the two of them. Travis slung an arm around Nico's shoulder, making the son of Hades tense, and Connor joined him on the other side.

"I think you're right, Travis," Connor dramatically agreed, linking his arm with Nico's, despite the boy's uncomfortable groans of protest. "Let us now beguile this child with the great Tale of the Demonic Daydream."

Nico frowned at him. "I don't think that word means what you think it does."

"Shush," Travis chided. "Let Master Connor tell the story."

Nico rolled his eyes, but leaned back against the headboard to listen anyway.

Connor smirked proudly, then started to tell a random story that he made up on the spot, something about a demon named Fernando who dreamed about becoming the Devil's right hand man but was always too busy daydreaming to get any work done. About halfway through, Travis took over (because he apparently felt that Fernando needed a seductive love interest named Claire), and by the end of the whole ordeal, Nico was fast asleep on Travis's shoulder.

"Good work, little brother," Travis whispered as he lowered Nico back onto the bed. "He should sleep soundly now."

Connor smiled at his brother, then at their friend. "Mission accomplished."

Travis shrugged. "For now, anyway."

* * *

><p>But to the customers of Anna's Bakery in Long Island, New York, they were just the nice boys behind the counter who served them baked goods with a side of laughs.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The Stolls kinda became Fred and George Weasley at the end there, sorry about that. So anyway, there's the first chapter. I hope you all liked it. Next time, we get to actually see the Stolls in the mortal world, and my OCs are probably gonna show up a bunch more. Anyway, please review and let me know what you thought!**


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